12. See the form of a writ dating from between 1676 and 1685, published in William Brown,
Compendium of the Several Branches of Practice in the Court of the Exchequer 358–361 (London, 1688). It is more fully discussed in notes 557, 1668, below. This form bears little or no resemblance to the ancient writs of assistance
(note 3 above). It has been suggested that the source may have been either the sheriff's
“Patent of Assistance” (a general command to others to aid this officer), or, by analogy,
the general warrants authorized by 13 & 14 Car. 2, c. 33, §15 (note 9 above), which gave the bearers power, “with a constable, to take unto them such assistance
as they shall think needful.” See Quincy, Reports (Appendix) 397–398, 530–531 note. “Writs of assistance” were known in the colonies before the
Act of 1696 (note 15 below), but these were apparently special warrants. Frese, Writs of Assistance (dissertation)
127–177. In England, however, the evidence is ambiguous. The materials cited by Frese
(note 11 above) indicate the use of special warrants, but there was a second edition of Brown's
Compendium in 1699, containing the form of the general writ. Reissues of the first edition in
1689 and 1692 presumably were likewise unchanged. See 1 Sweet and Maxwell, Legal Bibliography 319. Since special warrants could still be obtained under 12 Car. 2, c. 19 (1660),
note 5 above, it is possible that warrants of both kinds were used during this period.